The Gift
by Riverwillows
Summary: A short story about joy, grief, and love.
1. Chapter 1

She ran through the woods bordering the sidewalk, a white streak of light dancing free in the morning sun. Reveling in her youthful expression of the joy of simply running, leaping, and cavorting. It was a perfect morning for the little white cat, no longer a kitten, but not quite a queen. She jumped a bush, and darted thru a clump of ferns, and climbed a tree. Panting with exertion, she paused on a high branch and surveyed the world from above. How small everything seemed from up here, when on the ground, she was the tiny one. Her ears twitched at a sudden noise, a distant bark of a pollicle dog. She grinned and, rested, jumped down from the tree and ran across the top of the wall bordering the street. Leaping down onto the sidewalk she sauntered between legs and wheels on the sidewalk.

Suddenly, a loud backfire caused her to instinctively leap sideways, right into the path of one of those odd two wheeled devices humans used. A flash of pain exploded in her brain, dimming her sight, and throwing her to the curb. The smell of blood was the last thing she was aware of, as darkness overcame the light.

She came to vaguely aware of pain, and someone weeping softly...being carried over the back of another cat...gently being laid on the ground. She was SO tired and something hurt badly in her side. She smelled several other cats all around her. But she didn't want to open her eyes, she was hurting so much. She just wanted to rest, to sleep, to dream away this awful feeling of dread that was slowly overcoming her. She sighed softly, and gave herself over to oblivion.

The Jellicles gathered around her, not sure what to do. The beautiful young white cat lay on the ground, a great gash in her side, blood staining her beautiful, soft fur. Two of the older queens were gently licking away the blood, trying their best to soothe and heal, but their efforts were weak against the terrible wound. A large ginger tom crouched nearby, eyes brimming with tears, and trying to not yowl with grief, for it was he who found her lying in the gutter, on one of his usual struts through the neighborhood. It was he who carried her back to the junkyard, not caring for once that his large yellow neck ruff was stained and sticky with the blood of this young queen of his tribe.

Suddenly he leaped to his feet, and tore off thru the yard, knowing that she had only one hope...if it was possible. It had to be. It MUST be possible. He had to find the one cat that, if anyone could save her, HE could. And, knowing that his quarry had loved the little white cat from afar, maybe that love would be strong enough, powerful enough, for the healing she needed. The gift of healing that the ginger tom just knew lay inside his friend. He only hoped he'd find him in time.


	2. Chapter 2

Mistoffelees lay back on the morning sun-warmed rock, the remains of a wren digesting nicely in his stomach. Small brown feathers lay scattered around him and he softly burped, then giggled. His black coat with its white chest ruff was finally dry from the morning dew and he slowly drifted in that nether space between awake and dreams. He was looking forward to the next Jellicle Ball. Last year's, his first, was amazing! But then, he'd just been barely out of kittenhood, and still unsure of his powers, even tho he was able to use them to save his beloved leader, Deuteronomy. And he'd been allowed to mate for the first time, what an experience that was! He understood now why it was so sacred, as the bonds he had forged with the tribe throughout the night, made him aware of each one, their love for him, and his love for them. Since then, he had been practicing his magic whenever he could, and someday, when he was fully grown, he hoped to be a Protector of the tribe.

This year, he was old enough to choose his own partner for the mating dance. He knew who he wanted, had in fact loved her since they were kittens, but, being the shy cat he was, he was afraid to ask her. She was now a highly desirable young queen, she could have her pick of mates. Although, he had noticed that she never went with anyone since the ball, yet seemed unconcerned about it. Not like the other young queens and toms, who paired off as they came into heat, then paired off again the next time with someone different. Like Tugger, his friend who, though much older, never was with the same particular queen at any given time. The running joke in the tribe that Tug, ever since his first mating dance, looked at whatever had a pulse. 

He thought about his powers, and wondered what their limit was. He was getting stronger and stronger, and more sure of what he was capable of. But he felt, somehow, that it wasn't enough. If he was to protect his family, his tribe, properly, he need to be able to do more than work with electricity, or conjure things and people here and there. Useful, yes, but he wanted to do more. Sighing, he would just have to work harder, he thought.

He was just about to have a morning nap in the sun, when suddenly a feeling of dread came over him. A sharp sense of pain, of loss, of terrible grief. He sat up, wide awake now, and sniffed the air. Whatever it was, was not here, in the park. And then, he scented a familiar scent, coming closer to him at a very fast speed. Tugger! Before he could run to meet his friend, Tugger burst into the clearing just below the rock he was on. Misto took one look at the ravaged, grief stricken face and leaped down to land softly in front of the ginger cat. Tugger was panting, weeping, and struggling to get his breath. "Mistoffelees! You need...come now, quickly...hurt bad...Victoria!" the older tom gasped. 

Mistoffelees felt his heart lurch and drop with fear! NO! NO NO NO! Without waiting for Tugger he bolted off thru the park, back toward the junkyard, with Tugger trying vainly to follow. All he could think about was his childhood friend, his partner in pranks, his...NO! Oh Everlasting Cat, NO!


	3. Chapter 3

Mistoffelees ran and ran, fear clutching his heart, as he barreled thru the piles of junk, to the center of the yard. Leaping over a rusted out car hood, he burst into the crowd gathered at the clearing. And stopped in shock. There, lying so still, barely breathing, lay Victoria, a huge gash oozing blood onto her soft white fur. Everyone looked up and then moved aside, as Mistoffelees numbly moved to Victoria's side. He gathered the injured queen in his paws, and gently held her close, not caring about the blood staining his chest ruff. He turned a grief-stricken, tear-filled face to the others, who looked at him with sorrow, as they realized his true feelings. Looking back down, he saw that her breathing was slowing down. _What can I do?_ he thought wildly. _I don't know how to heal...do I?_

He closed his eyes and tried to relax, to feel deep inside where he knew his magic lay. Suddenly all went calm. His mind's eye saw the core of himself, saw the swirling vortex that was his magic and let it flow thru him. It was then he realized, yes, he could heal her, but at a cost no cat would ever want. He had to give of himself wholly, completely, to heal an injury this devestating. He drew a deep breath, and made a choice. _Fine. _he thought. _It will be worth it. She will live on and provide the tribe with a future. I could never tell her how I feel anyway, and at least she'd be alive, whole...worth it. _He opened his eyes, and raised his paw. He let the magic flow, and gently ran his hand down the length of the gash, and heard the collective sigh of shock from the others as the wound slowly closed up, faded, leaving only a thin scar that would soon be covered with more beautiful white fur.

He slowly released her and sank back, and would have fallen over but for the strong body and arms that held and supported him. Without looking, he knew it was Tugger, his best friend, the brother of his heart. It was good to have a friend hold him, the last warmth before he went to the Heavyside layer. He gazed down and the now healed white cat, but saw to his horror, he'd been too late. She had stopped breathing, the relief from the pain had caused her to finally let go. He felt a raw anguish build up inside him, and then, with a heartbreaking yowl, he used the last of his strength, and raised his paws. Blue fire crackled and streamed from his core, and he flung his paws against the body of the one who held his heart. Lightening raced through her body, and she jerked, once, twice, and then, she gave a soft indrawn breath and a mew. As his vision faded, he saw that she now lived. He was glad, and had no regrets. He let his head fall back against Tugger's chest and with a gentle smile, welcomed the dark that came rushing up to greet him.

Victoria slowly opened her eyes. What a strange dream that was! she thought. She thought she had died...but then she'd been enveloped in a warm pocket of love and joy. As she looked up at the wonder in the faces above her, she heard a heart-wrenching sobbing in front of her. Looking over, she saw Tugger, his head bent, and weeping. Whatever could be wrong? The she saw the small black and white bundle of fur he was holding. She saw the familiar white ruff on the chest, stained with blood...her blood? She sat up and realized it was Mistoffelees, her best friend, now lying limply, with a small smile on face. She realized he wasn't breathing. It all came back to her then, the pain, the blood, and she knew the sacrifice that Mistoffelees had made for her. He had given her the Gift of Life, at the cost of his own.

She cried out and flung herself over him, weeping, NO! She'd been following him around these last few months, refusing advances from the other toms, hoping against hope that Mistoffelees would ask her to be with him at the Ball. She knew he was shy, but she caught him looking at her a few times and hoped...hoped...she had always loved him, and now, now he'd never know. But she also realized in the moment, that he would have had to love her as deeply as she loved him in order for him to sacrifice himself like this for her. Closing her eyes, she reached out with her heart, tried to find his, in the swirl of darkness beyond the mind's eye. There...she touched a spark, a familiar presence, that was slowly turning away towards the light. She called with her heart, and the presence hesitated, and turned towards her. _Mistoffelees, please don't go...I...I...I LOVE YOU! _

The presence stopped, and slowly solidified and became the sweet black and white tuxedo cat she knew and loved. He looked over his shoulder at the light...then moved towards her, and they embraced. She heard him say in her mind _I LOVE YOU TOO!_

She came back to herself and felt a sharp gasp as Mistoffelees took a breath and opened his eyes. She looked at him and knew they had given each other the greatest Gift, he gave her Life, she gave him Love back. She lay her head down on his chest, as the crowd around them wept anew, this time with joy and wonder. 

Epilogue - The next day

"So...will you be with me at the Ball?" Mistoffelees asked Victoria as they sat on the sun-warmed rock, holding hands and sharing a peace between them only lovers could know. She blushed at the same time he did, and shyly said "I thought you'd never ask!" And they knew that it wouldn't be just the Ball, but all the years to come. 


End file.
